Governance

The Governing Body consists of between 8 and 12 Governors with experience from a wide range of fields, including religion, education and finance. Their role and responsibilities are set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the school and essentially consist of assuming responsibility for the land, the buildings and the business of the school, while delegating operational executive management to the Headmistress, who is directly accountable to the Governors.

The purpose of the Governing Body is to provide strategic direction and oversight of the functioning of the school, whose main aim is to provide an excellent education to the pupils. The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the school, states this aim in these words:

“To carry on with an improved constitution the said School as a school for the education of girls and young children as day scholars and boarders … in accordance with the principles of the Church of England, and to provide a sound religious education, in accordance with said principles, for girls and young children.”

St Mary’s is a charitable trust and the Governors of the School are entrusted with the objects of the Charity as set out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The school is in sound financial health, and the audited accounts are available from the Bursar on request and from the Charity Commission's website.